Fasting
by Gindokei
Summary: A sweet little story about a misunderstanding and an old Resembool tradition. 'Why won't she eat,' he wonders. 'Why won't he eat,' she wonders as well. Harmless EdxWinry.


_Fasting_

**AN: Too cute an idea to pass up. (:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**.**

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* * *

**"Winry," Edward called sleepily as he made his way down the stairs. He rubbed at the crusty residue left in the corners of his eyes and squinted as he looked around, seeking out his wife of nine months.

"Winry?" Edward called her name once more, a little more alert. "Win, where are you?"

No reply.

"It's nothing to be worried about," Edward assured himself, pushing his golden hair out of his eyes. "After all, she's always up at unearthly hours." Yawning, he made his way to the kitchen to whip up a cup of coffee. He'd deliver it to Winry – he was almost positive she was in her workshop, tinkering away as always.

It was noon by the time he finally got around to visiting her. General Mustang had called and demanded his research papers, as his assessment was coming up. Edward had retorted with a few well-placed insults and they'd had themselves a verbal spar, just like always. His days never seemed complete without an irritated phone call from the General.

"Hey, Win, I brought you some coffee," he spoke cheerfully as he shoved her workshop door open with one shoulder. Edward's enemies would have been astounded to see the Fullmetal Alchemist in such a position, and frankly, Edward himself was quite surprised at how doting he was when it came to Winry. He wasn't sure how she managed to bring out such reactions in him.

"Mmm?" Winry was seated on a tall stool, swinging her legs back and forth aimlessly. "Oh, Ed." She offered him a smile, glancing longingly at the mug in his hands. "I'm sorry, but I'm not very thirsty," she murmured.

"Okay…" Edward raised one eyebrow in surprise. Maybe she'd gotten herself something earlier… but he hadn't missed the wistful look in her eyes. "So what are you up to?"

"Nothing," Winry grumbled, swinging her legs again. "It's so _boring_."

Edward cast a quizzical glance at her work table. It was piled with various bits of metal as well as her numerous tools. "Yeah. Nothing," he echoed.

"Huh?" Winry looked puzzled at his sarcastic tone. "What are you implying…?" She followed his gaze to her work bench and her face fell. "Oh, that."

Edward's eyes widened. Had Winry actually just seemed… _unenthusiastic_ about fiddling with auto-mail? "Okay, tell me what's wrong," he demanded, pulling up a stool and seating himself on it.

"Nothing's wrong," Winry protested, shaking her head. She'd taken to pinning her hair up in a style similar to Hawkeye's, and Edward thought it made her look much more mature. "Honestly. I'm fine, Ed." Her smile was genuine, but Edward saw a hint of weariness in it.

"Were you up all night?" he questioned her sternly. Winry snorted out a laugh, and Edward realized how paternal he sounded it. He smiled in spite of himself.

"No," she assured him, "I only got up a little bit before dawn. Don't be such a worrywart! It makes me nervous," she joked, sliding off the stool and moving towards him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his nose gently.

Edward felt his cheeks heat up slightly. "Of course I worry about you," he muttered gruffly. "You don't worry about yourself enough, after all."

Winry smiled. "I appreciate that, Ed. Thanks."

* * *

"Win? Aren't you having lunch?"

Winry frowned and looked up from the manual she'd been perusing. "No…" she spoke slowly, as if Edward was missing something obvious. Her husband looked alarmed.

"Why not?!" he demanded. "Did you even have breakfast?"

"Of course I had breakfast, Ed, as soon as I got up," she shot back irritably. Really, was he _trying_ to drive her mad? "I'm perfectly all right. Stop _fretting_, you're like an old housewife."

She could practically hear Edward bristling. _I decide to care about my wife for once and I become a nagging housewife!_ She smiled at her imagining of his internal monologue. "Get yourself something, I know you're capable of it," she called. "Al's going to come visit soon, too."

"Fine," Edward grumbled, but Winry kept one ear pricked and heard no banging of pots and pans in the kitchen. Edward emerged after a while, suspiciously free of food stains. Had he really eaten?

He noticed her stare and offered her a bemused smile. "Al'll be here soon, right? Maybe I should go get him. Want to come?"

"Sure," Winry replied, grateful for an excuse to go outside. She got to her feet and set the manual down on the sofa cushion.

"Put on a coat, it's nippy out," Edward advised. Winry made a face at him and fetched her light jacket.

"Happy now?" she grumbled, and Edward laughed at her peeved expression. "At least I'm going outside. Being cooped up inside is so _boring_…"

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled and caught her hand on impulse, tugging her closer to his body. "Just shut up and walk."

* * *

"I'm glad Al is doing well," Winry remarked as they headed back, the land cloaked in the hush of twilight. The couple had ended up spending most of their afternoon at Alphonse's bachelor pad, and it had almost been like old times. "I was so glad when he moved back to Resembool! I'd missed him when he was working in Central."

The corners of Edward's mouth quirked into a smile. "He didn't see any point in staying after he'd completed his medicine course," he replied. "After all, Resembool's always been home to us."

Winry rested her head on his shoulder. "It makes me happy to hear you say that," she replied tiredly, and Edward wondered at her faltering steps. Their cheery house had just come into view when Winry stopped, her knees shaking.

"Sorry, Ed," she gasped, letting go of his arm and bending over slightly. "Just… cramps…"

Edward immediately made a disgusted face. Honestly, just because they were married…

She straightened herself and caught the look on his face. "Not like _that_, idiot!" she cried, delivering a sound smack to his shoulder. Edward grinned widely and clutched the wounded area.

"Oh, Win! How could you?"

"Shut up," she muttered weakly, craning her head to look at the night sky. "Ah! The moon is up!"

Edward glanced upwards as well – so it was. A round, full moon. He smiled secretively to himself.

"Mmm," he replied noncommittally. "Let's head back inside."

"Yeah," Winry agreed, pushing back heavy strands of long blonde hair. She sprinted towards the door and unlocked it hurriedly. Edward wondered why she was moving so quickly – hadn't she been in pain not too long ago? He followed her at a slower pace, ignoring the loud grumbles his stomach made.

Just a little while longer…

"Win?" he called. "Where are you?"

"In the kitchen!" came the reply. Edward sauntered towards the source of her voice and found Winry on her knees, digging through one of the small cupboards located under the sink.

"What is it?" he asked her, noticing the china plate that rested on the counter. It was covered with a scarlet cloth, but Edward glimpsed the shape of a glass underneath the cover.

"Winry?"

"Just looking for the sieve!" she replied, emerging from the depths of the cupboard with her hair mussed and her eyes triumphant. "Found it!" she added, rather unnecessarily as she waved the object around.

Edward chuckled. "What's all this about?"

Winry stared at him as if he was stupid. "Don't you know what today is, Ed?"

"Ummm…" Edward crinkled his nose as he tried to remember. "The seventh of October?"

Winry sighed. "You idiot," she said, more wearily than angrily, "it's the day of the fast. Don't you know about that?"

Edward blinked. Of course he knew about the Resembool fast! It was one of the town's oldest traditions. Couples fasted for each other and prayed for long life for their partner… expect… he couldn't remember women having to do it, too…

"Yeah," he replied unsurely, "but what's all this for?"

Winry rolled her eyes and got to her feet, pushing the cupboard door shut with one foot. "When the moon comes up, we have to go outside… and look at the moon together through the sieve. Then we throw a bit of food and water towards the moon, and feed each other. Geez, Ed! How could you forget?"

"I didn't forget!" Edward snapped. "I just didn't know it included all of this, too. I thought I was just supposed to not eat all day and that was it."

Winry frowned. "What do you mean…" She blinked, understanding dawning in her pretty blue eyes. "Ed! Don't tell me you haven't eaten all day?"

"Of course not," he grumbled. "I had to fast, didn't I?"

"Edward _Elric_." Winry sounded horrified. "Are you _stupid_? You weren't supposed to fast! Only women fast on this day, idiot!"

"Don't call me an idiot!" he retorted loudly. "From what I heard around town, _men_ are supposed to fast! Not women!"

"You've got it all wrong! The woman is supposed to pray for her husband's long life. That's how it goes!"

"That's _stupid_! Why can't the man want his wife to have a long life, too? Am I supposed to sit and have you pray for me all the time? That isn't exactly fair!"

"That's…" Winry paused. "Actually very sweet, Ed," she concluded, offering him a smile. "But traditionally, only women fast. It's not unheard of for men to fast, I guess, but…"

"But nothing," Edward interrupted roughly. "I won't have you starving yourself just because of a stupid tradition."

Winry grinned. "Then why did you do it?"

Edward flushed a dull red. "B-because I thought I was supposed to…"

Winry laughed. "You're not fooling anyone," she scolded him gently. "C'mon, let's go outside."

The couple stood on the front porch. Winry lit a tea-light and placed it inside the circular sieve, holding it up to the moon. She and Edward shyly peered into it and gazed at the moon together. Winry's hair tickled Edward's cheek, and his breath was hot on her face – but neither minded. Winry gently blew the flame out and placed the tea-light on the plate. She dipped one finger into the glass of water and flung a few silvery droplets towards the moon, following it with a few crumbs from the hastily put together sandwich. Once that was done, she placed the sieve on the topmost step of the porch and picked up the plate, breaking off a corner of the sandwich and offering it to Edward.

He ate it from her hands, his warm lips moist against her fingers. She giggled softly and picked up the glass, placing it near his lips. He took a sip and gently wrested it from her, offering it right back. Winry tentatively sipped from the glass, almost swooning in relief. It had been such a pain to go without food or water all day – even though she'd gotten up before dawn and stuffed her face, it had still been hard.

Maybe it'll get easier with years of practice, she thought with a smile as she accepted a bite of the sandwich. They finished the food and water together, the chilly October breeze causing their hair and clothes to flutter and the dusky night sky smiling warmly down on them.

"Let's head back inside," Winry suggested, retrieving the sieve and placing it on top of the plate. "I'm so tired…"

Edward smirked at her. "That's what you get for not eating or drinking anything all day," he replied playfully. Winry glared at him even while a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Well, how come you're so chipper, huh? I would've thought you'd faint if you weren't able to eat or drink all day," she teased. Edward laughed.

"I'm not _that_ food-dependent," he replied with a smile. Winry set the plate down on the kitchen table and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"All in all, my first fast day didn't go too badly," she mused. "I'm heading to bed, Ed. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. 'Night, Win."

As Winry made her way towards the stairs, she was halted by the sound of Edward's voice.

"Hey, Win? Is that why you nearly collapsed on the way back from Al's?"

"Give me a break, idiot! It was my first fast!"

* * *

**AN: I felt like writing this as today is **_**Karva Chauth**_**, the day when Hindu women fast for their husbands to ensure they have a long life. Sometimes, husbands fast as well. The entire procedure is taken straight from this tradition of ****Karva Chauth****. I thought it suited Edward and Winry. I know they are OOC in places – please forgive me!**

**Also, the reason why Winry wasn'****t tinkering with auto-mail is because women are not allowed to work during Karva Chauth. A bit of a stupid tradition, yes, but they deserve a break once in a while, no?  
**

**2,047 words.**


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